this morning, who knew what and when. >> new details overnight in the love affair and e-mail trail that ended the career of the nation's top spy david petraeus. a third woman surfaces. but she's not his lover or his wife. deadly blast. the middle of the night explosion that tore an entire hole in a subdivision, leveling homes, killing a popular teacher. health alert. the new warnings issued overnight. studies linking flu during pregnancy to autism. and another, what cell phone radiation could be doing to unborn babies. and the nascar track turned hockey rink. a collision turned into an all-out brawl. a racing legend accused of starting it all. good morning, everyone on this veterans day. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm sunny hostin in for

paula faris. new details are unfolding in the scandal surrounding david petraeus, the former head of the cia. >> talk of washington, that's for sure. we now know the women at the heart of the investigation that led to petraeus' downfall. she was apparently perceived as a threat. >> the secret affair may have remained threatening if not for the threatening e-mails his lover sent to his woman jill kelly. officials say she was not romantically involved with pet tray but a family friend. kelly contacted the cia. initially there were concerns that the cia director's e-mail had been hacked. >> the original complaints was harassment that possibly could have gone to e-mail hacking but there was no substantive information that this had anything to do with national security. >> reporter: but those e-mails were linked back to paula

broadwell who had access to petraeus in afghanistan as his official biographer. the 40-year-old broadwell lives in charlotte, north carolina with her husband and two kids. she's an avid runner and said they bonded during the trips to afghanistan. >> it was an opportunity to interview him on a run. i thought i'd test him but he was going to testle me. >> reporter: petraeus is claiming at fair with broadwell did not begin in afghanistan but after he retired in 2011. one week later he became director of the cia, meaning he carried on the affair during most of his tenure at the cia. friends say petraeus ended the affair about four months ago. the white house was not aware of the situation until last week. on thursday, petraeus met with the president and offered his resignation. >> it just doesn't add up that the fbi would carry on this type

of investigation without bringing it to the president or the highest levels of the white house. >> the choice of paula broadwell to write petraeus' biography did raise a new eyebrows, considering she had never written a book before. we'll have much more coming up on "good morning america." there are now just 50 days until the new year. 50 crucial days for congress to figure out a way to keep the country from going over that so-called fiscal cliff and possibly plunging back into recession. with tax increases and spending cuts set to kick in january 1st, the stage is set for some serious washington drama. here's abc's david kerley. >> reporter: across the dials, the parties sounded like they could make a basis. >> i think there's a basis for the deal. >> i absolutely believe there is. >> we need to put politics aside. the election is over. >> reporter: it's the same tone we heard from major players. >> i'm open pro compho comproe

myself. >> reporter: speaker boehner said they would have to avoid nasty fights and according to "the new york times," they seemed to listen. but it could push the country offer the fiscal cliff, the 1st of january. that's when the number of tax cuts expired dubbed taxmageddon. and severe cuts that defense spending would be triggered. the sticking point on avoiding that cliff -- taxes. the president campaigned on and won on letting tax cuts for the rich expire. a leading republican said no. >> no republican is going to vote for higher tax rates. we will generate revenue from eliminating deductions from loopholes. >> reporter: if that sounds like the argument we heard before, you're right. that rates for the rich rise. are we headed for that cliff? >> so if the republicans will not agree with that, we will reach a point at the end of this year where all the tax cuts expire and we'll start over next year. >> on friday, congressional

leaders come here to the white house to start negotiations in earnest. david kerley, abc news, the white house. two weeks after superstorm sandy dealt its devastating blow, 120,000 homes and businesses in new york and jersey are facing yet another day without power. with anger and frustration growing, people demonstrated over the weekend against the long island power authority which still has 100,000 customers in the dark. the protesters said along with the low restoration, they can't even get information from the utility company. >> patience is wearing thing there. and they're searching for survivors in myanmar this morning after a powerful earthquake rattled that nation, just a week before president obama is set to visit the 6.8 magnitude quake collapsed homes, bridges and mines and also damaged ancient buddhist temples. at least 12 people were feared dead. in italy, the city known for

its canals is scrambling to soap cope with severe flooding. after days of heavy rain, central venice is 70% under water. people waded through streets as it peaked five feet above normal. in tuscany, flooding and mud slides forced 200 people from their homes. and a destructive brush fire is burning out of control in southern australia. the flames ripped through at least seven homes as well as a number of sheds and cars. and koala was among the animals that managed to survive the fire. a man found it in the field and stopped to give it water. veterans day with president obama marking the actual commemoration yesterday. the 11th day of the 11th month of the year. he laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns at arlington

national cemetery, noting this is the first veterans day in a decade that u.s. troops are not fighting in iraq. and with that, we take a look at weather from across the country on this monday morning. mountain snow in the cascades and north rockies from rain from seattle and portland and boise. some morning frost and freeze warnings in southern california, arizona and new mexico. showers and thunderstorms from cleveland and detroit down to nashville and new orleans. >> beautiful along the east coast. getting up to the 60s from new england to new orleans. mostly 40s in the nation'sed with section and in the northwest. and when we come back this morning, being intriguing new research as scientists try to unlock the mystery of autism. and help wanted. why airlines could be scrambling to get pilots in the cockpit. and twinkies on the brink. a nationwide strike could spell the end for the sugary classic snack cake. [ female announcer ] now get high speed internet at home

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welcome back, everybody. and some alarming business news this morning. could this be the end of twinkies? workers there are on strike at hostess bakeries around the country after the bankrupt company cut wages and benefits by more than a fourth. the company that makes twinkies and ding dongs warns that a strike could lay off most of its 18,000 employees. there are warnings this more morning that airlines could face a shortage of pilots. and new rules next summer will

require that new pilots have a huge amount of experience. that says "the wall street journal" will create the most serious pilot shortage in almost 50 years. and a hot topic on this veterans day is finding jobs for those who have served in the military. more than two-thirds of returning vets say their greatest challenge now is simply finding a job. military skills often don't translate to civilian jobs. 29% of male veterans, in fact, ages 18 to 24, are unemployed. in his speech yesterday, president obama promised to improve the jobs picture for the nation's veterans. and "skyfall" rises to the top of the box office. the new james bond film had the biggest u.s. opening of any of the 23 bond films. three fourths of its audiences were men 25 and older. it's already doing business business overseas but here in the u.s., "skyfall" pulled in $88 million. "wreck the ralph" was second and $34 million.

"flight" was third with $15 million. >> and have a crush on daniel craig, so you loved that story. >> yes. when we come back, the latest science on cell phones. why pregnant women might want to hang up or at least hold that phone away. and then this morning, fight night at nascar. the road warriors whose fists were flying. ♪♪ you can help othersnk along the way. ♪ ♪ a portion of every bottle that they sell goes to fight ♪ ♪ breast cancer and i think that's swell. ♪ ♪ the more you take, the more they'll pay, ♪ ♪ so make them write a big check today. ♪ ♪ and if you're feeling a little slow, ♪ ♪ then 5-hour energy will help you go. ♪ ♪ so buy a bottle of pink lemonade and ♪ ♪ you can help fight breast cancer today. ♪

chips, chips! [ female announcer ] silence those tempting thoughts with new light & fit greek. its creamy thick texture helps satisfy you. and at 80 calories it's the lightest greek yogurt with fruit. new light & fit greek. be light and fit and satisfied. [ male announcer ] it's that time of year again. medicare open enrollment. time to compare plans and costs. you don't have to make changes. but it never hurts to see if you can find better coverage, save money, or both. and check out the preventive benefits you get after the health care law.

♪ open enrollment ends december 7th. so now's the time. visit medicare.gov or call 1-800-medicare. ♪ american soldier american like my brothers and my sisters i'm proud ♪ let us remember all the nation's veterans today, past and present. that's for sure. now, let's take a look at your morning road conditions, everybody, on this holiday monday.

a wet commute around seattle, portland, boise and northern california. also snow-covered passes in parts of the cascades and northern rockies. rain soaks highways from cleveland and detroit down to the gulf coast. if you're flying today, airport delays are possible in new orleans, atlanta and detroit. and back to the news this morning. investigators in indiana will be back at the scene of that deadly house explosion in indianapolis today. dozens of homes were destroyed or damaged. >> a second grade teacher and her husband died in the blast. with more on the investigation, here's abc's john schriffen. >> reporter: this gaping hole is all that's left. charred foundations, burnt-out roofs, surrounded by pieces of homes scattered everywhere. an explosion so intense, at least two people are now dead and eight others injured. >> garage doors blown in, house completely leveled. nothing left. >> reporter: this suburban community was rocked from their

beds as a blast ignites two homes and several others. many in pajamas clutching their pets. a scene so desperate, neighbors rushed in to help. >> as soon as i got to the house, i heard people screaming. all i could think of, these people have to get out or they're not going to make it. so i just ran in, not even thinking, me and andrew here, and pulled them out as fast as we could. >> reporter: investigators are now combing through the rubble looking for clues. >> so far, the survey has indicated that there are no gas leaks in the area. however, we've got a lot more investigation to do. >> and what's so puzzling to investigators that they say in the days before the blast, there were no reports of any smells of gas. now, to give you an idea of just how powerful this explosion was, people said they could hear and feel it as far as three miles away. john schriffen, abc news, new york. >> all right, thank you, john. well, two medical alerts from overnight. doctors in denmark have found

that a pregnant mom who gets the flu is twice as likely to get a child later diagnosed with autism. and the moms who had a fever that lasted a week or more were three times as likely to have an autistic child. abc news chief health and medical editor dr. richard besser says the study is a reminder that pregnant women need a flu shot. and pregnant women who use cell phones may be affecting health of their babies as well. a yale study involving mice found offspring were more hyperactive when exposed to powered-up cell phones and also have less memory. researchers advised pregnant women to hold the phones away from their bodies. it was an explosive finish in phoenix at a nascar race. that ended up looking a bit more like a hockey match. tempers flared yesterday after jeff gordon intentionally wrecked clint bowyer near the end of the race. it turned into the all-out brawl in the pit as bowyer's crew pounced on gordon and everyone else appeared to join in.

gordon head he and bowyer had been at it all season and he had enough. both are expected to be penalized in some way by nascar officials. some breaking news from the nba this morning, the lakers reportedly have a new coach and, no, it is not phil jackson. instead former knicks head coach mike dantoni will lead the lakers. jackson's asking price was a little too high. that's according to the "l.a. times." for the latest sports highlights we turn it over to our friends at espn news. welcome to your sports update. i'm jorge andres. second to the last race of the season in nascar. this one at phoenix. near the end of the race, jeff gordon wrecked clint bowyer. after the two had made contact earlier in the race. both to the wall. a fight breaks out on pit road between both crew members. they had to be held back. final lap after the restart, kevin harvick coming to the finish line.

danica patrick slowed on the track. harvick wins the race. multiple cars wreck. to football, the battle of 7-1 teams. love vi smith and the bears taking on the texans. pregame ceremonies taking place. matt schaub to jennings. jennings with two picks in the game. the bears were tied with a field goal on the ensuing possession. brady to schaub. diving for the touchdown, he's got 11 straight games with a touchdown. texans up 10-3. three minutes in the half, devin hester. he'd be called back and offset with penalties. cutler taking a shot, losing the helmet on the play. he would leave the game with a concussion. fourth quarter. for the bears, down 13-6, jason campbell, it's not going to happen.

texans, they go on to win, 13-6. >> well, that's your "sportscenter" update. i'm jorge andres, have a great day. >> and how about them saints. sorry, atlanta get that first "l." coming up this morning, "the pulse" and parting is such sweet sorrow. anxious twihards are just hours away from seeing the final "twilight" film. and he lost the election, but mitt romney won one more parody on "snl." thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment. so now i can plan my days and accomplish more. lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions

or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better now that i've found lyrica. ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain.

ask your doctor if lyrica is right capella university understands back from rough economic times. employees are being forced to do more with less. and the need for capable leaders is greater than ever. when you see these problems do you take a step back, or do you want to dive right in? with a degree in business from capella university, you'll have the knowledge to go further in your career than you ever thought possible. let's get started at capella.edu welcome back, everybody. time to check "the pulse" this morning, the stories you'll be talking about today.

and add a couple more names to the list of celebrities pitching in to help in the wake of hurricane sandy. >> newlyweds jessica biel and justin timberlake spent part of the weekend in the badly damaged neighborhood of the rockaways. they handed out backpacks stuffed with relief supplies. >> as we mentioned earlier, 120,000 homes and businesses still have no power, two weeks after the storm. slow recovery there. and if sunny were not right next to me, she probably would be in california in this line right here. thousands of twihards have been camped out for days waiting for tonight's big premiere of the final "twilight" film. >> christen stewart, robert pattinson are expected to be there for the opening. of course, there's a lot of sadness in seeing the last movie in the series. but i cannot wait. >> try to keep your tears in check there.

well, "saturday night live" couldn't wait to have a little post election fun at mitt romney's expense. the show opened with a despondent romney on the balcony of his mansion. >> romney's wife and sons then take turns trying to console him as he tries to drown his sorrows in a carton of milk. >> mother sent me to come get you, father. paul ryan is doing feats of strength in the drawing room. we'd like to you come see. >> i'd like to see him carry wisconsin! no, i'm sorry that was uncalled for, i'm sorry. >> have you been drinking? you smell like a dairy. >> karl rove also stops by. when he asks to borrow $300 million, romney just tosses him off the balcony. let's all be grateful the election season is over now. it's been grateful for that. we went around the country asking women to speak frankly

about something no one wants to talk about. it's time to get real about what happens in the bathroom. stop all the cutesy stuff and start talking about what you really want

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>> next, the first trip back to the bargaining table for the raley's supermarket chain. police searching for pit bull that barged into a home and killed a pet poodle. mike has the forecast. chilly start. i'll show you some of the frosty temperatures. warming trend on the way. sue hall hasrst day without fighting in iraq. >> and chilly in the nation's midsection. and finally for us this morning, the new movie about an old american hero, steven spielberg's "lincoln" is all the buzz. >> yes, it is, actor daniel day-lewis took the leading role, so seriously, he didn't just play lincoln, apparently, he turned into him even when the cameras weren't rolling.

more from abc's david wright. >> save yourself. it's done. >> reporter: he's a british actor embodying an american icon. >> i like how jameson is now. >> reporter: according to the experts, daniel day-lewis nailed it. >> for this moment now, now, now! >> i've seen a lot of performances, and i've never seen anyone delve as deeply into lincoln's soul. >> reporter: daniel day-lewis famously immerses himself into his roles. while filming "my left foot" he plays a character with cerebral palsy, he remained in a wheelchair during takes. while filming in the last of the mow heek mohicans, he lived in the wilderness. and he got in just as deeply as the 16th president. >> i had a feeling for him in a

way for a man i've never met. >> reporter: on set, steven spielberg addressed him as mr. president. >> i try not to dismember a character and then the components. work on one area and then another. >> reporter: spielberg purposely waited until after the election to release this movie, recognizing that lincoln is still politically relevant. ♪ lincoln, lincoln, lincoln >> reporter: from lincoln c.k. on "snl" to this punch line. >> romney announces he has won most of the confederacy. >> reporter: our house is divided still. >> red and blue is still better than blue and gray. >> shall we stop this bleeding? >> reporter: david wright, abc news, los angeles. >> well, can you smell the oscar buzz, folks? >> yes. >> that's what's making news in america this morning. >> that's what's making news in america this morning. >> stay with u captioned by closed captioning services, inc.